The Canine Cure
The Canine Cure is the 21st ''Wishbone'' episode. It was aired on November 6, 1995. Plot Wishbone tries to use mind powers to open a cookie jar, but is distracted by Joe opening the door. Nathaniel Bobelesky comes over to Joe's house for a sleepover. Nathaniel gives Joe's mom Ellen a list for allergies and medications, since Nathaniel is allergic to almost anything. Wishbone is reminded of the play ''The Imaginary Invalid'' by Moliére, a French playwright who flourished in the mid-to-late 17th century. On February 10, 1673, at Palais-Royal Theatre in Paris, France, Moliére announces that his play is also a farce, a comedy to illustrate a point. He introduces the characters, including the his own character: Argan, the main character. After the character introductions, the play itself commences. A hypochrondriac named Argan lies in bed, ringing for Toinette the maid. Argon orders her to bring him pills, and then for her to bring him his daughter Angélique. As Toinette leaves, Argan rings for his doctor to inject him. He then crafts a plan to marry his daughter, who is training as a medical student, to marry a doctor named Diafoirus; that way Angélique and Diafoirus could take care of him for free, and that he doesn't have to pay any bills. feeding Wishbone]] Back at Joe's house, Ellen categorizes the medicines that Nathaniel is supposed to take. Ellen also brings the cookie jar to the table. Seizing the opportunity, Wishbone notices Nathaniel eating a cookie, and begs for one, which Nathaniel gives to him. Nathaniel explains that he had asthma when he was born, and since then his mom has been on alert. Ellen also explains that she also worries about Joe, and that someday, Joe might have to take care of her. Back in the play, Argan walks into his study, and explains his plans to Angélique - Angélique then explains that she has fallen in love with a man named Cléante, but Argan is adamant about Angelique marrying Diafoirus; this causes her to faint from shock and sadness. Toinette then doubtfully questions Argan if he really is sick, to which he complies. Toinette then tells him that if he really is sick, then he should go to the doctor and pay the bills. Argan tells her that because there are so many bills to pay, she will marry Diafoirus. Toinette defends her by saying that she won't let him proceed with his plan. Because this is very nervy for a maid to say to her boss, Argan grows incredibly incensed and chases her out of the room with the intent to kill her. Back at Joe's house, Nathaniel and Joe play checkers, and Nathaniel's mom Belinda arrives to deliver another vitamin chart and is startled when Wanda and Wishbone both appear, explaining to Ellen that Nathaniel is allergic to dogs. Belinda marks dogs on the allergy chart - as they were not on the chart - and Nathaniel starts sneezing because Wishbone is on him. Ellen decides to have Joe put Wishbone in the yard so that Nathaniel will stop sneezing. Wishbone is tied to the tree in the front yard, and starts thinking that Nathaniel's mom might be making him sick instead of Wishbone. In the next scene of the play, Argan has calmed down significantly, and his second wife Béline offers to pay the bills for him, but Argan chooses to discuss his will with her instead. In his will, Angélique will legally own all of Argan's wealth, but Argan chooses to transfer all of his money to Béline instead. Béline then tells her lawyer to bring the will papers. and Doctor Fleurant arguing about the injection]] Back in the yard, Wishbone tries to escape, only to end up tangled in the rope. Joe, Nathaniel, Sam, and David arrive to untangle Wishbone while Nathaniel goes back inside to avoid sneezing. While Wishbone turns sarcastic towards Nathaniel, Joe has an idea to convince Nathaniel that not all of his allergies are in his imagination. Back in the play, Argan and his brother Beralde discuss Argan's health. Argan believes that he is sick, and Beralde disagrees. Doctor Fleurant arrives with an injection, but Beralde - still convinced that Argan is not ill - rejects the injection, and tells him that Argan will take it later. A furious Doctor Purgon arrives and refuses to continue treating Argan, saying that one by one, his internal organs will start rupturing, and storms away. Beradle comes up with a plan: have Argan fake his death and see what reactions come from his wife and daughter, to see who cares more about him. Back at Joe's house, it is now night, and Belinda is watching and supervising Nathaniel taking his pills. Ellen and Belinda go downstairs while Joe and Nathaniel fall asleep. Wishbone is contained in the study and determined to escape. He grabs a few pillows, gets a running start, jumps on the pillows, and leaps over the gate before making his way upstairs to the bedroom. He tests to make sure that Nathaniel is not allergic to dogs by lying down next to Nathaniel as he sleeps. In the final part of the play, Béline arrives, and Toinette and Beralde tell her that Argan has died: She is surprisingly delighted. She reveals her true thoughts about Argan, that he was a cruel, selfish cheapskate. When she demands Argan's money, Argan stops faking death and reveals himself to Béline; a horrified Béline runs out of the room. Angélique arrives with Cléante, and Toinette and Beralde tell Angélique that Argan has died: Angélique breaks down, and Cléante wishes that he were still alive. Argan stops faking death and reveals himself to both of them, and that he isn't even ill, and if he does become ill, he would be his own doctor. He then announces that Angélique, instead of marrying Diafoirus, will marry Cléante, much to everyone's happiness as the play ends. Back at Joe's house, it's morning, and Joe wakes up to find Wishbone in Nathaniel's bed. Nathaniel wakes up and tells Joe that he feels fine. Wishbone sneezes, and Nathaniel starts backing away. Joe convinces Nathaniel that he is not allergic to dogs, and Nathaniel accepts that, and crosses out the "dogs" part of the list. Nathaniel, Joe, and Wishbone head downstairs to go to the park. Cast 'Oakdale' Soccer the dog as Wishbone * Larry Brantley as the voice of Wishbone Jordan Wall as Joe Talbot Christie Abbott as Sam Kepler Adam Springfield as David Barnes Justin Reese as Nathaniel Bobelesky Mary Chris Wall as Ellen Talbot Angee Hughes as Wanda Gilmore Tamara Jackson as Belinda Bobelesky 'The Imaginary Invalid' Soccer the dog as Moliére playing Argan * Larry Brantley as the voice of Moliére playing Argan Jessica Simpson as Toinette Sean Hennigan as Beralde Elly Lindsay as Béline Nicole McDuffie as Angélique Bob Eric Hart as Doctor Purgon Chamblee Ferguson as Doctor Fleurant Brent Anderson as Cléante Transcript The Canine Cure/Transcript Tail-Ends Wishbone talks about tableaus. In the early days of theatre, people would use tableaus to introduce the characters. "Tableau" is French for "painting". They would display characters frozen on their sets, as if they were a painting. When put on a revolving platform, they could quickly and easily show several scenes without having to move large set pieces. Trivia * The scenes at the theatre take place on February 10, 1673, at the Palais-Royal Theatre. Category:Episodes Category:Season 1 episodes